1) Technical Field
The subject invention generally relates to an air filtration system for filtering air between a head and body of a user and an environment external to the user. The air filtration system is utilized in the medical profession during surgical procedures. The subject invention more specifically relates to a helmet assembly and gown for use in the air filtration system.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Air filtration systems and helmet assemblies utilized in the air filtration systems are known in the art. As indicated above, air filtration systems and helmet assemblies are worn by users throughout the medical profession, such as surgeons, during surgical procedures for filtering air between a head and body of the surgeon and an external environment, such as a clean room.
Conventional air filtration systems and helmet assemblies are deficient for one reason or another. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,936 to Thomas, Jr. et al. discloses an air filtration system and helmet assembly that draws air through a filter medium into the helmet assembly and through an intake grid where the air is then channeled through an air flow channel over a face of the user. The air filtration system and helmet assembly of this patent are deficient in that air is not distributed completely about the head of the user. That is, air is not distributed to a back of the head, toward a neck, of the user. Further, the intake grid is deficient in that the grid does not extend between a front and rear section of the helmet assembly to maximize an effective intake area for the filter medium.
A further example of a conventional air filtration system and helmet assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,480 to Bare et al. This patent discloses an air filtration system and helmet assembly that draws air into the helmet assembly via an intake fan, and exhausts air from the air filtration system and helmet assembly via an exhaust fan disposed at the rear section of the helmet assembly spaced away from the neck of the user. The air filtration system and helmet assembly of this patent is deficient in that they are overly heavy due to the additional fan required to exhaust air. Furthermore, the exhaust fan creates excessive strain, and therefore fatigue, in the neck of the user because the exhaust fan is spaced away from the neck of the user.
The conventional air filtration system and helmet assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,033 to Green et al. is also deficient. This patent discloses an air filtration system and helmet assembly that draws air into the helmet assembly through an intake fan and scroll housing disposed at a rear section of the helmet assembly. The air filtration and helmet assembly of this patent is deficient because the intake fan and scroll housing are spaced away from the neck of the user. Further, the scroll housing in this patent includes only one air outlet to distribute air about the head of the user resulting in less balanced air flow throughout the helmet assembly. Additional drawbacks of such an air filtration system and helmet assembly including only one air outlet from the scroll housing are excessive fog build-up and poorer heat dissipation in the helmet assembly.
Other conventional air filtration systems and helmet assemblies are also deficient for the following reasons. First, these conventional air filtration systems and helmet assemblies do not assist a single user in self-gowning as the surgeon maintains sterility. That is, these air filtration systems and helmet assemblies do not include a positioning and supporting system that automatically centers a face shield over the helmet assembly and that supports an entire weight of the gown and face shield. Instead, the conventional air filtration systems and helmet assemblies merely utilize hook-and-loop fasteners randomly places around the helmet assembly to connect the face shield to the helmet assembly in any orientation. Furthermore, randomly-placed hook-and-loop fasteners do not automatically center the face shield and do not support the entire weight of the gown and the face shield as the surgeon self-gowns. Instead, as the user self-gowns, he or she must repeatedly adjust the face shield in order to center the face shield. This is time consuming and burdensome.
Secondly, it is generally understood that the amount of air flowing into the helmet assembly is critical for anti-fogging and heat control purposes. However, the air filtration systems and helmet assemblies of the prior art do not assist the surgeon in recognizing the amount, or volume, of air flowing into the helmet assembly. That is, these air filtration systems and helmet assemblies do not provide audible indication to the surgeon of the volume of air flowing into the helmet assembly during any particular surgical procedure.
Thirdly, as discussed above, it is ideal to position and maintain any fans in the air filtration system and helmet assembly as directly over, and not spaced from, the neck of the user as possible in order to minimize strain and fatigue. The prior art air filtration systems and helmet assemblies do not incorporate a strap flexibly connected to the front section of the helmet assembly such that the strap is pulled from the front section of the helmet assembly and the weight of any fans is maintained over the user's neck when the helmet assembly is adjusted to fit various sized heads.
Due to the inefficiencies identified in such conventional air filtration systems and helmet assemblies, it is desirable to implement a novel air filtration system and helmet assembly that utilizes a single fan to distribute air toward both the face and the neck of the user and that includes a scroll housing that includes at least two air outlets for complete balancing of the air flow about the head of the user. It is also desirable to dispose the fan in the helmet assembly such that it is not spaced away from the neck of the user to minimize strain, and to include an intake grid that extends between front and rear sections of the helmet assembly to maximize the effective intake area for filtering the air. Finally, it is desirable to implement an air filtration system and helmet assembly that includes a positioning and supporting system to assist the user in self-gowning, that includes audible indication to the user of the volume of air flowing into the helmet, and that includes a strap that can be adjusted to fit different sizes of heads while maintaining the weight of the helmet assembly over the neck of the user.